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T O P I C R E V I E W

spaced out

In the entry for the AB Emblem Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission patch on my Crew Patches site I already mentioned that there were variations of the patch which included different arrangements of some thread colors and a space between the blue and red blocks of thread around the stars and the outer red border of the patch.

A thorough review of the available photographic evidence, including the Retro Space Images ASTP discs, by patch collector Colin Burgess showed that the latter variant is clearly visible in all examples of the embroidered patch worn by the crew after the flight, worn by the Russian crew members during the flight, and used in NASA presentations from the time.

Based on all this evidence, and particularly a shot of the crew in their pale blue flight suits in Hawaii after the flight, it seems clear that this variant qualifies as a Crew Patch for the mission, alongside the well-known initialed crew patches.

It's open to question whether this was just a variation in the early runs of the patch (in which case it may have been produced in thousands of examples and been sold commercially) or a subtle but distinct difference in the design of an initial run produced for NASA. In either case it's still an interesting variant to collect.

Beau08

This is good news Chris. I have one of these ASTP variants that came along with a "white eagle" Apollo 17 patch from the personal collection of suit technician Al Rochford in an RR Auction and I was convinced that it was different than the standard issue AB Emblem. In fact I think I even sent a scan of it to you maybe a year ago.

As to the production run its probably impossible to say for sure, but what I do know is that I have yet to see another one on eBay or anywhere else to date.

Kevin T. Randall

One was sold on eBay today in a lot of four Apollo patches (an Apollo 12 'crew' patch [variant 3], and two Apollo 15 patches). They sold for $270.11 with 9 bids from 4 bidders.

Besixdouze

I agree especially considering I was the lucky purchaser (although more through accident than design). I was actually after the 12 variant.

Imagine my despair, however at seeing Chris' post less than two hours before this auction ended. Such is the monster he has created.

I fully expected, having checked the patches again, that I'd be outbid but despite a last minute flurry, I'd pre-bid enough.

Great work by Chris again though on identifying this new crew patch.

spaced out

As mentioned above the existence of this variant has been raised before, and indeed this is why I had mentioned variants in my AB write-up.

What tipped my hand now is the overwhelming weight of photographic evidence provided by the RetroSpaceImages discs, in particular the picture I include above.

If the crew had changed into these blue jump suits in the recovery helicopter I probably would have declared this a crew patch some years ago.

Anyway, there was quite a bonanza of crew patches on eBay yesterday, with 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and ASTP all up for grabs.

Like most people I held out a weak hope at the beginning that maybe some of these patches would go unrecognized but of course in reality every one was almost certainly being watched eagerly by dozens of patch collectors from the first day they appeared.

In any case congratulations to all those who won them.

Besixdouze

quote:Originally posted by Beau08:As to the production run its probably impossible to say for sure, but what I do know is that I have yet to see another one on eBay or anywhere else to date.

Unless I'm mistaken this completed listing (patch from Slayton's estate, 120892280151) looks very much like one to me. Maybe he can re-list and make the reserve now it's been officially designated by Chris.

Kevin T. Randall

Yes Mike, that patch IS one of the newly recognized ASTP 'crew' patches.

I would hazard a very good guess and say if it originated from the estate of the late Deke Slayton, all of the ASTP patches from that estate that have been sold over the years by a number of the auction houses, including those listed on eBay by Lunar legacies, that had the letter of authenticity signed by his wife Bobby Slayton, all were from that one production run by AB Emblem in 1975.

I would say if Trevor re-listed that ASTP 'crew' patch again now, it would sell in an instant for the $599.00 Buy It Now price, or if someone started the bidding off at the $530.00 start price, it would sell for well over $600.00. Such as the power of Chris' crewpatches website now that any crew patch identified from it will sell for big bucks.

Beau08

I would like to take a moment to thank Chris and Kevin for being very diligent on the research and scrutiny of a possible crew patch before declaring it so. People put a lot of weight into their judgment as to the collect ability of patches and it is a bit reassuring to know how serious you guys take it. I like that you give your best opinion on production and let the market set the price.

Cheers guys and thanks for your efforts...

spaced out

I have to say I sincerely hope that these patches don't start selling for $500+, although ones originating from Slayton's collection could command a premium over those with more humble origins.

There's no real reason to think at the moment that they're especially rare, and we can be almost certain that many more of these were produced than the 150 (+ overrun) examples of each of the initialed crew patches.

Logically this should mean that they are nowhere near as valuable as the initialed crew patches which sell for maybe $100+ at present. Mind you, logic has little to do with all this.

Kevin T. Randall

This one is totally down to Chris, I have had no input on this one, (as yet). Though I am now going to have to find some time to reserch back through past eBay sales etc and list them for the sales footnotes at the bottom of the webpage.

Kevin T. Randall

Chris and I has now added all the known eBay sales of the ASTP 'crew' patches since January 2008 plus the Goldberg Space Auction sales.

Also added many more eBay sales to other 'crew' patches sales footnotes, and re-vamped the 'contractor' patches page into three pages.

The embroidery and detail is better than the 4" and 4 3/4" initialed replicas. The gold border is stitched horizontally. The main tell is that "Slayton" and "Leonov" are closer than the A-B emblem and farther than the Lion Brothers version.